New Releases 8/19/14

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Hardcovers

The League of Seven by Alan Gratz

The League of Seven is the first book in an action-packed, steampunk series by the acclaimed author of Samurai Shortstop, Alan Gratz.

In an alternate 1875 America electricity is forbidden, Native Americans and Yankees are united, and eldritch evil lurks in the shadows. Young Archie Dent knows there really are monsters in the world. His parents are members of the Septemberist Society, whose job it is to protect humanity from hideous giants called the Mangleborn. Trapped in underground prisons for a thousand years, the giant monsters have been all but forgotten—but now they are rising again as the steam-driven America of 1875 rediscovers electricity, the lifeblood of the Mangleborn. When his parents and the rest of the Septemberists are brainwashed by one of the evil creatures, Archie must assemble a team of seven young heroes to save the world.

Paperbacks

The Clockwork Sky, Volume Two by Madeleine Rosca

The conclusion to this exciting all-ages steampunk manga Clockwork Sky!

Madeleine Rosca’s sharp-edged style perfectly matches her sharp-tongued lead character’s personality. Sally Peppers is the highly-curious, ambitious niece of steambot magnate Erasmus Croach, who has supplied Britain's factories with an apparently endless supply of near-perfect robot employees, displacing flesh-and-blood humans. Unemployed people have begun to demonstrate in the streets of London and more than one near-riot has been put down by Croach's latest and greatest invention, the steambot police-boy, Sky.

Sky is troubled by dreams where he, like Pinocchio, has become a “real boy.” Then he meets Sally, who has run away from home, and begins to learn of the poverty and hardships faced by these workers. Together, Sally and Sky venture into the tunnels beneath London in search of a missing child.

Sally has always been a bit of a tinkerer and quickly figures out the terrifying truth about her uncle's magnificent steambot factory. But it might be too late—Erasmus Croach has new steambots ready to deploy—and they are bigger and stronger than the heroic Sky. Can Sally’s wits and Sky’s pure heart save the day?

Coloring With Your Octopus: A Coloring Book For Domesticated Cephalopods by Brian Kesinger

A cinematically proportioned coloring book based on Brian Kesinger's popular picture book "Walking Your Octopus" which showcases the day-to-day adventures of independent girl-about-town Victoria Psismall and her pet land octopus Otto. Forty-eight ready-to-color illustrations humorously chronicle the duo's home life, travels and social adventures. The Victorian era characters and period-influenced design elements provide a visual spectacle that is as fun to look at as it is to color.

The Ripper Affair by Lilith Saintcrow

The enthralling conclusion to the Bannon and Clare trilogy from New York Times bestselling author, Lilith Saintcrow.

Sorcery. Treason. Madness. And, of course, murder most foul...

A shattering accident places Archibald Clare, mentath in the service of Britannia, in the care of Emma Bannon, sorceress Prime. Clare needs a measure of calm to repair his faculties of Logic and Reason. Without them, he is not his best. At all.

Unfortunately, calm and rest will not be found. There is a killer hiding in the sorcerous steam-hells of Londinium, murdering poor women of a certain reputation. A handful of frails murdered on cold autumn nights would make no difference...but the killings echo in the highest circles, and threaten to bring the Empire down in smoking ruins.

Once more Emma Bannon is pressed into service; once more Archibald Clare is determined to aid her. The secrets between these two old friends may give an ambitious sorcerer the means to bring down the Crown. And there is still no way to reliably find a hansom when one needs it most.

The game is afoot...

Sherlock Holmes: The Spirit Box by George Mann

Summer, 1915. As Zeppelins rain death upon the rooftops of London, eminent members of society begin to behave erratically: a Member of Parliament throws himself naked into the Thames after giving a pro-German speech to the House; a senior military advisor suggests surrender before feeding himself to a tiger at London Zoo; a famed suffragette suddenly renounces the women's liberation movement and throws herself under a train.

In desperation, an aged Mycroft Holmes sends to Sussex for the help of his brother, Sherlock.

Steampunk Fables by Rod Espinosa

Collects Steampunk Snow White, Steampunk Cinderella and Steampunk Red Riding Hood. Presenting a an instant classic from Rod Espinosa, creator of The Courageous Princess and Neotopia and Antarctic Press's own master of the new-age fairy tale. This collection of timeless tales has been galvanized and refueled to charge full steam ahead with a new angle on these familiar favorites!

To fans, authors and publishers...

Is your story going to be published in time for the next New Releases? Contact us at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.  We are looking for works of alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding.

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

New Releases 11/5/13

New Hardcovers

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

Description from Amazon.

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy--won't Mumsy be surprised? Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

In this sequel to New York Times bestselling Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season.

Iron Winter: The Northland Trilog by Stephen Baxter

Description from Amazon.

Praised as “not only a gifted storyteller but also a master of speculative fiction” (Library Journal), bestselling author Stephen Baxter brings his epic Northland trilogy to a close as a once-thriving civilization faces winter without end....

Many generations ago, the Wall was built to hold back the sea. A simple dam, it grew into a vast linear city, home to scholars, builders, and merchants. Northland’s prosperity survived wars and unrest—and brought the whole of Europe together.

But now darkness is falling. Days grow shorter, temperatures colder, and in the wake of long winters come famine, destruction, and terror. As a mass exodus to warmer climes threatens to fracture Northland, one man believes he can outwit the cold, and even salvage some scraps of the great civilization—before interminable gloom settles over the land; before the fires of war lay waste to an empire; before the ice comes....

The Night Boat by Robert McCammon and Les Edwards

Description from Amazon.

The Night Boat, Robert McCammon's third published novel, first appeared as a paperback original in 1980. Following on the heels of Baal and Bethany's Sin, it offered further proof that a writer of great narrative power and limitless potential--a writer who would achieve a significant position in modern popular fiction--had arrived.

The story begins with a vividly written prologue in which a German U-boat--sometimes known as an 'Iron Coffin'--attacks an unsuspecting merchant vessel, and is itself attacked by a pair of Allied sub chasers. The action then shifts to the present day and to the idyllic Caribbean island of Coquina, where life is about to change in unimaginable ways. David Moore, a young man with a tragic and haunted past, is skin-diving in the waters off Coquina, searching for the salvageable remnants of shipwrecks. He accidentally detonates a long-unexploded depth charge, uncovering and releasing a submarine that has lain beneath those waters, virtually intact, for decades. The battered vessel that rises to the surface contains a bizarre and terrifying cargo that will transform a once peaceful island into a landscape of unrelenting nightmare.

The Night Boat is a story of cannibalism, ancient voodoo curses, and shambling, undead entities filled with a bottomless rage and an equally bottomless hunger. But it is also the story of a past that refuses to die, that lies in wait just beneath the surface of the unsuspecting present. Furiously paced and viscerally frightening, this horrific early gem is both an outstanding entertainment in its own right and a harbinger of the masterpieces to come.

New Paperbacks

Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden

Description from Amazon.

A SPY. AN AIRSHIP. AND A BROKEN HEART.

After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one condition: He won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover.

Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery.

But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.

Sherlock Holmes: The Will of the Dead by George Mann

Description from Amazon.

A young man named Peter Maugram appears at the front door of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson’s Baker Street lodgings. Maugram’s uncle is dead and his will has disappeared, leaving the man afraid that he will be left penniless. Holmes agrees to take the case and he and Watson dig deep into the murky past of this complex family.

A brand-new Sherlock Holmes novel from the acclaimed author of the Newbury & Hobbes series.

New E-books

Balfour and Meriwether in The Incident of the Harrowmoor Dogs by Daniel Abraham

Description from Amazon.

When a private envoy of the queen and member of Lord Carmichael's discreet service goes missing, Balfour and Meriwether are asked to look into the affair. They will find a labyrinth of dreams, horrors risen from hell, prophecy, sexual perversion, and an abandoned farmhouse on the moors outside Harrowmoor Sanitarium. The earth itself will bare its secrets and the Empire itself will tremble in the face of the hidden dangers they discover, but the greatest peril is the one they have brought with them.

Balfour and Meriwether in the Incident of the Harrowmoor Dogs is the first novella length work in the Balfour and Meriwether stories by Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award nominated author Daniel Abraham.

To fans, authors and publishers...

Is your story going to be published in time for the next New Releases? Contact us at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.  We are looking for works of alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding.

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

Weekly Update #124

Editor's Note

So I am ending the Videos for Alternate Historians segment. It just did not produce the page views I was expecting. Currently there is nothing in the wings to replace, but if you have any ideas let me know on Facebook, Twitter or ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

At the moment I am interested in doing more with alternate history maps, but we shall see.

I'm on late shift this week, so my apologies if posts do not go up on their usual times.

And now the news...

The Politics of State Secession

Last week there was a lot more talk about state secession and the politics behind it. Although a majority of the current movements are strongly conservative, that is not always the case, especially with the liberal Baja movement who proposed the creation of the new state over disputes with the conservative Arizona government.

More importantly, it is incredibly difficult to create a new state out of an existing state. The American constitution requires both the approval of the state and federal Congress. In fact this has only happened twice in American history, once to prevent a war (Maine in 1820) and once during a war (West Virginia in 1863). Even the issues currently pushing liberals and conservatives to create a new state are not serious enough to make the majority of the people living in these regions to give up on the traditional democratic process. Nevertheless, some people have imagined what America might look like if the state secession movements got what they wanted:

Above is a map created by Nate Cohn at the New Republic. It features the electoral college breakdown of the 2012 Presidential election if some of the current statehood movements were successful. Although Obama would have still won, the Senate would have gone to the Republican party, giving them complete control of Congress. Nevertheless, Nate's map is incomplete.  Michael J. Trinklein, author of Lost States, pointed out that Nate forgot to include the one statehood movement most likely too succeed: Puerto Rico. I also want to point out that the statehood movements in South Florida and west/south Texas are not included as well. Do you see anymore that were missed?

Update: The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes by George Mann

Who is George Mann? That was a question I asked myself as I saw his name pop up more than once this week. Here is a description of his most recent book, The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes, from Amazon:

A collection of short stories detailing the supernatural steampunk adventures of detective duo, Sir Maurice Newbury and Miss Veronica Hobbes. 

Along with Chief Inspector Bainbridge, Newbury and Hobbes will face plague revenants, murderous peers, mechanical beasts, tentacled leviathans, reanimated pygmies, and an encounter with Sherlock Holmes.

If you want to learn more about the author, you should check out James Floyd Kelly of Geek Dad's review of his most stories where he said: "Whether you love or hate steampunk, if you love great characters, good plotting, twists and turns, and a large story-arc that slowly develops and grabs hold, you really owe it to yourself to give the Newbury and Hobbes novels a read." James also posted a short interview with George Mann and you can check other interviews with the author at SFX and Geek Girl.

War of the Vikings Adds New Classes in Early Access Update

Paradox has implemented a new phase in the ongoing Early Access program for War of the Vikings, the upcoming close-combat game from Fatshark. New content in the update, which is entitled “Veiðimaðr” or simply “The Huntsman,” will give players a chance to try three new profile loadouts on top of the starting three, including the Champion Class with access to the deadly Dane Axe. Several optimizations and adjustments have also been made as part of the ongoing development of War of the Vikings, which players are now experiencing firsthand through participation in Early Access, with their feedback directly affecting the course of the game.

As a key component of War of the Vikings’ creation, Paradox and Fatshark are working to ensure that players’ in-game Vikings have access to the finest possible beards. This ongoing search for epic facial hair has culminated in the “Beastliest and Bestest Beard Competition” now being held within War of the Vikings’ community. Ambitious beard cultivators may submit their personal grooming achievements to the developers, with the winners’ real-life beards to be added to the final game. Details on the competition can be found here.

Calendar

Oct 22-26, 27, 29-Nov 2: Steampunk version of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Oct 24: Science of Fiction film fest hosted by Matthew Buchholz, author of Alternate Histories of the World, at Tuscon, AZ.

Oct 25-26: Steampunk version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at York, PA.

Nov 8-9: The Festival of Converging Histories at Walla Walla, Washington.

Dec 31: Deadline for your submission to Rite of Passage: Road to Nicodemus anthology.

Links to the Multiverse

Articles

10 Blog Titles that drive MASSIVE TRAFFIC at The Masquerade Crew.

Books

The alternative universe of Silver Crescent Blues by András Gáspár (Wayne Chapman) at SF Mag.
Book Cover Smackdown! November Steampunk Edition: FIDDLEHEAD vs. ROMULUS BUCKLE & THE ENGINES OF WAR vs. UNCRASHABLE DAKOTA at SF Signal.
Cover & Synopsis: THE ENCELADUS CRISIS by Michael J. Martinez at SF Signal.
Jonathan L. Howard on The Appeal of Lovecraftian Horror at SF Signal.
Steampunk World Building at Worldcon by Maeve Alpin at Steamed!
A unique literary genre gains steam by Sheila Lisman at HutchNews.com.

Counterfactual and Real History

All the Evidence that Time Travel is Happening All Around Us by Vincze Miklos at io9.
Sobering Counterfactual Economic “Statistic” of the Day by Gavriel D. Rosenfeld at The Counterfactual History Review.
Tough Call: The Americas That Might Have Been by Larry Smith at Tribune 242.

Films

Steampunk sci-fi film needs funds by Jess Etheridge at North Shore Times.

Games

Dieselpunk combat game Aerena: Clash of Champions now out on Steam Early Access by Emily Gera at Polygon.
Spice Road: an alternate history trading strategy game, now with demo by Tom Sykes at PC Gamer.
Steampunk Tower Is Our iOS Game Of The Week by Rob LeFebvre at Cult of Mac.

Podcasts

Ratchet Retrocast Episode 17 – Leaping Into a Cabin in the Woods Next to a Lake on the 13th…This Can’t Be Good at Earth Station One.

Reviews

Elementary 2.4: Poison Pen at Thinking about books.
Fiendish Schemes by KW Jeter at Locus.
If Kennedy Lived by Jeff Greenfield at Seattle PI.
Iron Sky at The Punkettes.
The Merchant of Dreams by Anne Lyle at SF Signal.
Odd Men Out by Matt Betts at SF Signal.
Revolution 2.4: Nanites and ... Maybe Aliens? at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress.
The Violent Century by Lavie Tidhar at Staffer's Book Review.

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

New Releases 9/24/13

Paperbacks

The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes by George Mann

Description from Amazon.

A collection of short stories detailing the supernatural steampunk adventures of detective duo, Sir Maurice Newbury and Miss Veronica Hobbes in dark and dangerous Victorian London. Along with Chief Inspector Bainbridge, Newbury & Hobbes will face plague revenants, murderous peers, mechanical beasts, tentacled leviathans, reanimated pygmies, and an encounter with Sherlock Holmes.

A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway

Description from Amazon.

Evelina Cooper, the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes, is poised to enjoy her first Season in London Society. But there’s a murderer to deal with—not to mention missing automatons, a sorcerer, and a talking mouse.

In a Victorian era ruled by a council of ruthless steam barons, mechanical power is the real monarch and sorcery the demon enemy of the Empire. Nevertheless, the most coveted weapon is magic that can run machines—something Evelina has secretly mastered. But rather than making her fortune, her special talents could mean death or an eternity as a guest of Her Majesty’s secret laboratories. What’s a polite young lady to do but mind her manners and pray she’s never found out?

But then there’s that murder. As Sherlock Holmes’s niece, Evelina should be able to find the answers, but she has a lot to learn. And the first decision she has to make is whether to trust the handsome, clever rake who makes her breath come faster, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything for her if she would only just ask.

War of the Worlds: Global Dispatches edited by Kevin J. Anderson

Description from Amazon.

In the spirit of H.G. Wells's classic tale of Martian invasion comes this anthology of some of today's leading authors' own renditions of the Martian invasion as it might have been seen through the eyes of such notables as Jack London, H.P. Lovecraft, Teddy Roosevelt and Pablo Picasso.

Authors included are: Mike Resnick, Walter Jon Williams, Daniel Marcus, Robert Silverberg, Janet Berliner, Howard Waldrop, Doug Beason, Barbara Hambly, George Alec Effinger, Allen Steele, Mark W. Tiedemann, Gregory Benford and David Brin, Don Webb, Daniel Keys Moran and Jodi Moran, M. Shayne Bell, Dave Wolverton and Connie Willis.

Audiobooks

Henry VIII: Wolfman: A Novel by A.E. Moorat

Description from Amazon.

Five hundred years ago Henry VIII had a fearsome temper and bloodthirsty reputation to match; more beast than human, some might say. . .Henry the Eighth was the bloodiest king ever to have sat on the throne of England. This fast-paced, exciting, inventive, and just plain bloody retelling of his reign will bring to light the real man behind the myth. Be dragged back kicking and screaming five hundred years into Tudor England.

To fans, authors and publishers...

Is you story going to be published in time for the next New Releases? Contact us at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.  We are looking for works of alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding.

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

Weekly Update #111

Editor's Note

Real life can suck. As much as I like my day job a part of me would like to make a leap to being a full-time professional writer. I think I can do it, but I don't think I can afford to loss of income while I work to make a career out of writing.

So as a present for me since my b-day is coming this Friday, I decided to take the day off and just write as if it was my day job. I am actually looking forward to it even though it likely will mean a lot of time spent quietly pounding away on the keyboard.

So yeah it sounds like a strange way to celebrate one's birthday, but screw you! It's my birthday and its the one day out of the year I can be a selfish jerk.

And now the news...

North Colorado Wants to Secede

So American states wanting to declare independence and leave the Union went out of style with the Civil War and is now mostly confined to the fringe of politics. Nevertheless, movements to partition an existing state and create the 51st state (sorry Puerto Rico, we gave you enough chances) continue to appear in mainstream politics.

The most recent is the North Colorado movement that gained attention last week. Commissioners in Weld County, Colorado announced a proposal to leave Colorado and form the state of North Colorado citing concerns with state policy and recently enacted legislation involving sweeping gun control legislation and calling for more renewable energy (which is especially bad for the region since oil and gas production is important to the local economy). Commissioners stated they would hold public meetings to gather input before crafting a ballot initiative by August 1, and that the proposal had preliminary interest from fellow commissioners in Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson counties.

I like to point out that the last state to successfully secede from an existing state was West Virginia during the Civil War in 1863. In fact, without a war going on, it is ridiculously difficult to form a new state. North Colorado would need approval from voters, the Colorado General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Still you would be surprised how often people still try. Here is a short list from Mental Floss, which also showcases both liberal and conservative movement to secede.

So my verdict: not likely to happen, but alternate historians should be tickled by the news anyway.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Gets Pilot Order at Fox

I don't know whether to laugh or cry about this one. We all know about the train wreck that was Fox's LXG (I refuse to use its full name in this article), the film based on Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen graphic novel featuring the Justice League of Victorian England. Well Fox has decided to take another shot with Moore's League and has ordered a pilot for a television series on the comic.

Should we be worried? Well Nuge of Geek Syndicate was a little optimistic pointing out how the show could work well as a TV series, how the film was a decent action film (if you don't compare it to the original source material) and the writer of the pilot, Michael Green, did work on Heroes...but if he is responsible for the last three seasons of that show then we really need to be worried.

Sigh, sorry to rant, but I don't trust Fox with this one. I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't see it happening.

Update: The Executioner’s Heart by George Mann

A new steampunk novel that caught my attention last week was The Executioner's Heart by George Mann, the fourth entry into the Newbury & Hobbes series. Here is the description from Amazon:

In Executioner's Heart--the fourth Newbury & Hobbes steampunk mystery from George Mann--the detectives are up against the most frightening villainess England has yet seen. 

It’s normal for Charles Bainbridge, Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard, to be called to the scene of a crime, but this is the third murder in quick succession where the victim’s chest has been cracked open and their heart torn out. Bainbridge suspects there’s a symbolic reason for the stolen hearts, so he sends for supernatural specialist Sir Maurice Newbury and his determined assistant, Miss Veronica Hobbes. 

Unfortunately, neither of them are in much shape to take the case. Veronica has been hunting for some way to alleviate the mysterious forces that have been hounding her family of late, and Newbury has been retained by a private client: Edward, Prince of Wales, who's concerned that his mother, the Queen of England, is losing her grip on the nation.  

However, the two detectives pull together long enough to determine that the killings may be the work of a mercenary known as the Executioner. French, uncannily beautiful, her flesh covered in tattoos and inlaid with precious metals, the Executioner is famed throughout Europe, with legends going back for hundreds of years. Something is keeping her in a form of living stasis, but her heart is damaged, leaving her an emotionless shell, inexplicably driven to collect her victims’ hearts as trophies. 

Who is the Executioner targeting, and who hired her? Why has Veronica stopped trusting Bainbridge? What does the Prince of Wales really want? These are just some of the mysteries that Newbury and Hobbes will confront on the way to unearthing the secret of the Executioner’s Heart.

Reviews have so far been good. John DeNardo at SF Signal called it "[o]ne of the best in the series." Falcata Times, meanwhile, remarked on the great dialogue and wonderful twists. I know not everyone who reads The Update is interested in steampunk, but perhaps this is one novel you should consider trying out.

Amazon Launches its own Comics Imprint Jet City Comics

Amazon Publishing announced the launch of Jet City Comics, a new imprint focused on comics and graphic novels. Jet City launches with new comics from George R.R. Martin (Wild Cards and some books about dragons and other such nonsense), Neal Stephenson (The Foreworld Saga) and others.

The new imprint launched with the publication of Symposium #1, the first original Foreworld comic from the series created by Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Mark Teppo, Nicole Galland, Erik Bear, Joseph Brassey and Cooper Moo. Written by author Christian Cameron and art done by Dmitry Bondarenko, Symposium details the origins of the Shield-Brethren in Ancient Greece in the days following Athens crushing defeat to Sparta in 394 BC. It went on-sale last week, with new installments releasing monthly before being collected in a series of graphic novels in 2014.

Jet City issues will publish on Kindle as standalone comics, as serialized comics released over multiple episodes, and as bundled graphic novels, with print editions available at amazon.com and other comics retailers.

“Comics and graphic novels, especially in digital format, represent a unique area for innovation,” said Jeff Belle, Vice President of Amazon Publishing. “Our focus will be on adapting great books for this medium as a means of expanding the audience for our authors, pushing boundaries with new ideas that combine visual and narrative storytelling, and creating compelling new experiences for readers.”

Well good luck Jet City, but you might not need it with someone like Amazon behind you. Now that I have a Kindle Fire I might just have to subscribe to some of your new comics.

Update: Sufficiently Advanced Technology by Christopher Nuttall

Friend of The Update, Chris Nuttall has a new book coming out from the folks at Elsewhen Press. It is called Sufficiently Advanced Technology and it will be the first book in the Inverse Shadows universe. Here is the description from the publisher:

For the post-singularity Confederation, manipulating the quantum foam – the ability to alter the base code of the universe itself and achieve transcendence – is the holy grail of science.  But it seems an impossible dream until their scouts encounter Darius, a lost colony world whose inhabitants have apparently discarded the technology that brought them to the planet in order to adopt a virtually feudal culture.  On Darius, the ruling elite exhibits abilities that defy the accepted laws of physics.  They can manipulate the quantum foam! 

Desperate to understand what is happening on Darius, the Confederation dispatches a stealth team to infiltrate the planet's society and discover the truth behind their strange abilities.  But they will soon realise that the people on Darius are not all the simple folk that they seem – and they are sitting on a secret that threatens the entire universe ...

Sufficiently Advanced Technology is Chris' latest novel to be published by Elsewhen Press and although it is not alternate history, I like to support to people who produce as much content for The Update as Chris has. Congrats on your new novel Chris.

Paradox Books Now Available on Amazon

Paradox Interactive has added six titles to its e-book library and are now available for purchase on Amazon.com. The line-up includes three previously unannounced books, based on the Crusader Kings II and War of the Roses franchises.

First up is The Chronicles of Konstantinos: A Crusader Kings II Narrative Guide. Half strategy guide and half novel, this “Narrative Guide” to Paradox's award-winning Crusader Kings II tells a fictionalized tale of deceit, diplomacy, and dynasties. Players will learn winning tactics for playing the game as they read through an intriguing story set in the medieval game world. The book also includes original comics by David “Svip” Udsen.

Next up we have A Fall of Kings: Champions of Anglia. Set in an alternate 1066, where England must defend herself from the largest invasion since the days of Rome, while two young Earls work to unravel hints of a conspiracy that could tear the kingdom apart!

Finally we have The Sword is Mightier: Scholar Knight. We are again in England, except now it is 1454, during the Wars of the Roses. Jack Rose would rather be a scholar than a knight. However, when a brutal landowner steals his family estates and plans to evict the tenants, Jack must take up the sword and win back his inheritance by force of arms. As he wades through increasingly lethal encounters, he must decide who he really is.

LoneStarCon News

Wow a lot of news from LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention ("Worldcon"). First up, LoneStarCon 3 will be featuring unique presentations for the WorldCon membership:

• A special exhibit on Texas writer Robert E. Howard, literary pioneer in both sword and sorcery and the weird western
• Original artwork from TSR's "Dungeons and Dragons" role-playing game
• An exhibit on the "Texas-Israeli War of 1999," based the on the award-winning novel by Jake Saunders and Howard Waldrop
• A recreation of the bridge of the USS Enterprise from the original "Star Trek" TV series
• A celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the BBC TV series "Doctor Who"
• An exhibit inspired by the genome of science fiction writer Jay Lake, which was recently mapped as part of Lake's fight against cancer
• A special display on science fiction music.

As well, in addition to the traditional Art Show and Dealers' Room, members will find the usual historical exhibits that are a staple of Worldcon, including:

• The World Science Fiction Society banner, first flown at NyCon II, the 1956 Worldcon in New York City
• The Guest of Honor exhibits, honoring the LoneStarCon 3 guests and special guests
• 70 years of Worldcon history, with photos, programs, artifacts, and much more
• The Hugo Award Display, featuring Hugo Award trophies, from the first presentation of the award in 1953 to the present.

The LoneStarCon 3 exhibits will be in Exhibit Hall A of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

Next attending membership rates have been set that will apply from August 1 onward for both online and at-the-door sales.

• Full Adult Attending Membership rates will increase from $220 to $240
• The cost of converting from Adult Supporting to Adult Attending Membership will increase from $160 to $180
• Young Adult (17-21) and Military Attending rates will increase from $110 to $120

The Child (0-16) Attending rate will remain unchanged at $75, and the Supporting membership rate will remain unchanged at $60. Day Admission rates will also remain unchanged.

The Family Rate for two adults plus two or more dependent children will increase from $520 to $540, representing an additional $20 discount for family groups. Child and Young Adult rates are based on the person's age as of Monday, September 2, 2013.

Finally, LoneStarCon, has secured additional room capacity at the Hilton Palacio del Rio. This hotel is located across the street from the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, only a half block walk from the main entrance. The $154 price for single/double occupancy for this hotel is the same as the convention's original room blocks at the Marriott Rivercenter and Marriott Riverwalk, with the added benefit of free wireless Internet access in the guest rooms.

Although the original Marriott room blocks will soon be fully allocated, a small number of rooms might become available from time to time from members who cancel existing reservations. With over 1300 rooms already booked by convention members, San Antonio's Riverwalk area is expected to be buzzing when the Worldcon arrives in town on August 29.

Calendar of Events

July 18-21: Steampunk version of Macbeth in Woonsocket, RI.

July 20: Last day to see Churchill at The Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds, UK.

July 23: A program on Steampunk at the Tinley Park Public Library, IL.

Aug 9: Last day to fund the Atomic Robo Kickstarter.

Links to the Multiverse

Articles

Adventure, mystery, romance, sex!, action... Nefertiti's Heart by @AWExley at The Masquerade Crew.
Book Trailer: DISENCHANTED & CO. by Lynn Viehl at SF Signal.
Coming Soon! “The Time Traveler’s Almanac” Edited by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer at SF Signal.
Confessions of a History Geek: Blending History and Fantasy by DB Jackson at Tor/Forge's Blog.
Fairytales and Steampunk by Suzanne Lazear at Steamed!
A ROYAL report for INCEPTIO by Alison Morton.
Sobel Wiki: the dictatorship of the plutocracy by Johnny Pez.
Time Travel and Alternative History at Eleanor Arnason's Web Log.
WE’RE HERE III: Black Science Fiction & Fantasy Websites and Social Media by Balogun at Chronicles of Harriet.

(Counterfactual) History

5 Ridiculous Lies You Believe About Ancient Civilizations by J. Wisniewski at Cracked.
How America Could Have Ruled the Earth in 1898 by Ron Miller at io9.
Maps of Vast Empires That No Longer Exist by Vince Miklos at io9.

Book Reviews

The Art of Steampunk, Second Revised Edition by Art Donovan at Steampunk Scholar.
Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis at SF Signal.
Christian Nation by Frederic C. Rich at Cleveland.com.
Escapement by Jay Lake at Shelf Inflicted.
Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal at Fantasy Matters.
Island 731 by Jeremy Robinson at The World According to Quinn.

Comics

Atomic Robo Kickstarter!? Sign Me Up! by Matt Farr at Geek Syndicate.
Before Watchmen Ad To Run On Times Square Jumbotron by Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool.
The Manhattan Projects: Science Bad by Patrick Hester at Kirkus.

Films

DVD of the Week: Django Unchained by Matt Farr at Ramblings of the Easily Distracted.

Games

Cthulhu Wars Kickstarter Devours Its Target by Matt Farr at Geek Syndicate.
March of War – A Turn-based Diesel Punk MMO! by Stephen Jackson at Jump to Gamer.

Interview

David Weber at SF Signal.
D.B. Jackson Interviews Ethan Kaille, Thieftaker at Black Gate.

* * *

Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new story "The Enchanted Bean" can be found in Once Upon a Clockwork Tale from Echelon Press. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.